‘No fear of complacency or stagnancy in Schmidt’s camp’

Rob Kearney is confident that the current Ireland team can avoid the same sort of slump in form that kicked in after the Grand Slam title was won five years ago.

Declan Kidney’s team claimed the Six Nations title with a perfect five-from-five back in 2009, but hopes that it would mark a starting point towards further silverware were misplaced.

Ireland were still able to record significant stand-alone victories in the following four years but a lack of consistency proved to be the team’s downfall and, ultimately, that of Kidney who was succeeded last year by Joe Schmidt.